Vehicle shortage has Port Morant cops walking

The lack of service vehicles at the Port Morant Police station in St Thomas, which triggered a peaceful protest in Port Morant Square on Monday, has reduced police personnel attached to the station to walking.

Acting commander for the St Thomas Division, Fitzroy Williams, said since the unit has been down for the past three weeks, they have taken several measures to maintain their presence in the communities, including walking through the locality.

"We are not throwing our hands up in the air and say that we can't do anything. We resort to things like foot patrolling to reassure the citizens that we are still there for them," Williams explained.

According to Williams, several meetings have been organised by the police to teach citizens how the resolve their disputes without resorting to violence.

On Monday though, the residents blamed the lack of service vehicle on the number of incidents that have been popping in Port Morant and surrounding communities.

A woman was stabbed 16 times in the community of Arcadia last weekend.

Arcadia falls under the jurisdiction of the Port Morant Police Station.

Williams said he is hoping that Port Morant will get one of the service vehicles promised to the Jamaica Constabulary Force by Prime Minister Andrew Holness during a town hall meeting in the parish two weeks ago.